Happy weekend everyone. I can’t believe we’re over halfway done now. April has flown by! Today for Poetic Justice, I have an interview with Blessen Brocke. I hope you will enjoy it.
Poetic Justice is a month long event, beginning April 1st to April 30th in honor of National Poetry Month. Throughout April there will be interviews, guest posts, excerpts and other poetic posts. I hope you will follow along. To read the introductory post, read about my poetic background as well as the schedule for the month, you can find out more here.
Poetry has meant so much for me since I was a teenager, what does poetry mean to you?
Poetry means you are tearing a piece of your soul, or taking a piece of someone’s experience and exposing it to the world. You are constantly baring yourself in pursuit of peace or self-expression. I personally believe poetry means I’m falling in love using my words again and again. It’s like going on multiple first dates for me.
How and when did you begin writing poetry?
I was about 12-13 years old when I was introduced to poetry, but I was 15 when I started writing it more clearly.
How do you go about creating a poetry collection?
I’m currently working on a collection, and I primarily focus on common threads and not forcing things that don’t speak to each other. I sit and write, and keep writing until I find a sense of contentment. If it feels done, but seems unfinished I keep going until it feels finished and seems finished.
Where do you gather inspiration to write?
Life experience, desire, honesty and probably some darkness as well. My inspiration isn’t linear and each story is like a note in a song. None of them are exactly the same, or feel the same either.
Do you ever deal with writer’s block and if so, how do you deal with it?
I personally wait it out by reading more and reading people who inspired me in different ways.
Have you ever dealt with a writing hiatus? What did you do?
I hit a hiatus upon my first semester of college and kept reading and waiting it out. Something a line or set of words would come to me and I would write it down for later.
What do you think about this sudden height that poetry has become as far as social media and publishing?
Poetry on social media like Instagram allows for more visibility and I love that. However, what worries me is this elitism about “insta-poetry” vs traditional avenues for poetry like literary magazines. Just because you go a different path and embrace the technology we have doesn’t make you lesser or not as serious.
What advice would you give to someone trying to build up their platform on social media?
Interact with other authors and readers, watch what you say and do and don’t try to be everything to everyone.
Do you have any advice for someone struggling to write poetry?
Experience everything you can before writing, and know that sometimes you have expel some garbage in order to write things you are proud of. “Writing when inspiration comes” is nice and all, but I would rather write every day or week and make progress as opposed to waiting for it to come to my mind.
Some writers have to write with complete silence, others with music, some need a special beverage or go to their favorite spot to write. What is your writing process like?
It is usually very dark and late at night, and I only hear outside as I write. I really enjoy tea and usually prefer indoors to anywhere else.
What has been your proudest writing related moment yet?
When I finished “irises”, a piece that probably won’t be published due to how close it is to me. It’s an exploration of me as teenager and my vulnerabilities and what I’m willing to do to feel whole again. It is also exploitative and disgusting in my mind while being simple.
Is there a writing topic that you will not write about?
Probably Rape, Abuse and the like. While I have experienced and known about the subjects listed, I don’t want to return to that space in my mind ever.
What has the published journey been like for you? Were there any surprises or expectations?
I haven’t become published (yet!) but I do feel surprised and happy along the way. I’m hoping to one day gain a mentor and ideally an agent but until then I’m content with waiting. I actually have performed one of my pieces in a public setting before and it terrified me in the best way.
What poets would you recommend?
Amanda Lovelace – @ladybookmad (princess) (witch)
I would also recommend Gretchen Gomez (@chicnerdreads) and Nayyirah Waheed (salt & nejima) because of how poignant and moving each author is within each book.
What works are you currently writing? How did you come up with them?
I’m currently working on a book of poems and a YA fantasy. With the poems, it’s mostly a mixture of experiences and snippets from my teenage years. With my fantasy, there are elements of time travel, dimension hopping and more along with queer, black, not-white complex teens. It’s an uphill battle about belonging.
If you were to describe poetry in one word, what would it be?
Intimate, because of what I constantly unfold and give in order to write what I do.
You have suddenly lost all writing you have ever done, what do you do now?
I start again, or use backups. Even in the digital age, when something is lost it isn’t a bad thing. Starting over again is always a gift rather than a burden.
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